Princes William and Harry Have a Plan to Honor the 20th Anniversary of Princess Diana’s Death

At a time when you can’t bear to read the news, when every day—every hour—brings some fresh,terrifying development in American politics, it can be really nice to take a mental hop over the Atlantic and see what those royals are up to. (At this minute, the Windsors-as-diversion may even be validating their own existence to those who complain about how the monarchy is outdated. May God save the Queen, indeed!) Of course, it’s not all ribbon cutting and photo ops for the British royal family, and this year brings a somber reminder of the downside of that fame. This August will mark 20 years since Princess Diana died tragically in a car crash in Paris at age 36. Her two sons, Princes William and Harry, are now in their 30s, and they have begun plans to commemorate the anniversary of her death. This past weekend, the brothers announced they’ve convened a team to erect a statue of Diana in the gardens of Kensington Palace.

“It has been 20 years since our mother’s death, and the time is right to recognize her positive impact in the U.K. and around the world with a permanent statue,” they said in a statement. “Our mother touched so many lives. We hope the statue will help all those who visit Kensington Palace to reflect on her life and her legacy.” The statement also explained that the team will work together to find a sculptor and determine the installation, as well as privately raise funds for the project.

This statue won’t be the first official memorial to Diana. Several monuments are stationed around London, each representing a facet of her character. The Diana Memorial Fountain is a calm, undulating curve of granite set into the ground so that visitors can sit and even splash directly in it; the design is meant to suggest her openness and accessibility to people around the world. The Diana Princess of Wales Memorial Walk is a seven-mile path through several significant locations of her life in central London, marked with 90 plaques bearing etched aluminum roses to guide your way. And the Diana Memorial Playground celebrates her love of childhood innocence: It bears a Peter Pan theme, with a giant pirate ship, and encourages imaginative play. (In keeping with her patronage of different children’s charities, there are areas designed for less able-bodied youngsters, as well.)

While less “official,” other memorials have sprung up around the world for Diana. The Pont de l’Alma tunnel in Paris where she was killed as well as the nearby Flame of Liberty statue are the sites of impromptu cards and photos from fans, and the family of her boyfriend, Dodi Fayed, erected statues of the pair in the basement of Harrods department store in London.

Aside from her sons’ efforts, other plans for the 20th anniversary are already under way. Kensington Palace is planning an exhibition about her style, “Diana: Her Fashion Story,” which will open February 24. Diana’s longtime designer, David Sassoon of Bellville Sassoon, will give a talk there on March 4. The palace is also refreshing its gardens in Diana’s honor, with forget-me-nots in the spring and white English roses in the summer.

And in a move that may be more than coincidence, William is moving home: The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge released the news last week that they will soon be living in London full-time come autumn, with Wills leaving his job as a pilot behind to pursue more royal duties. “Their Royal Highnesses are keen to continue to increase their official work on behalf of the Queen, and for the charities and causes they support,” Kensington Palace said in a statement. “Prince George will begin school in London in September, and Princess Charlotte will also go to nursery and eventually school in London as well.” Those adorable kiddos will soon be city mice? Now there’s a pretty picture.